Lacing-hook.



Patented Oct. 3|, I899.

P. F. KING.

LAGING HOOK.

(Application filed Jan. 28, 1899.)

(No Model.)

PHINEAS F. KING, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE KING FASTENERCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

LAClNG-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 635,859, dated October31, 1899.

Application filed January 28, 1899. Serial No. 703,689. (No model.)

To LtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHINEAS F. KING, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Oleveland,Ouyahoga county,Ohio, have inventeda certain new and useful Improved Fastener, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to devices for holding flexible tiessuch as cords,strings, and the like-in a fast or taut condition. Examples of suchdevices are the hooks or appliances used for engaging shoestrings,glove-laces, and their congeners.

In the lacing of shoes, gloves, and such hooks are employed by which thecord or string is held from lateral movement in one direction only, butpermitted a free longitudinal movement. The cord may, and often does,slip out of the open end of the hook while being laced or after thelacing .is completed and while the shoe or glove is being worn, causingmuch inconvenience.

The objects of my invention are to provide a simple, efiective, andinexpensive construction of fastening device of the above-mentionedkind, to allow the device either to hold the cord or string firmly andsecurely against any kind of movement or to hold it substantiallyagainst lateral movement in any direction while permitting longitudinalmovement, and to adapt the device particularly for use in connectionwith the lacing of shoes, gloves, and the like.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other desirable ends my inventionconsists in matters hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a shoe havingfasteners embodying my invention applied to it with the cord partlylaced. Fig. 2 is a view of the top portion of the same, showing one wayof securing the cords by means of the fasteners; and Fig. 3 is a centralvertical section of the preferred form of the device embodying myinvention.

In the lacing of a shoe, for. instance, with a cord and hooks instead ofeyelets, it is desirable, as stated, to prevent lateral displacement orescape of the cord. In order to accomplish this result in the bestmanner, means should be provided which shall not wear or tear the cordor restrain it from lengthwise play and which shall prevent it fromfalling outof the hook when released and given slack. But very littleresistance or restraining influence is necessary to accomplish thispurpose. It is the object of this invention, more particularly stated,to provide means which shall not wear or tear the cord and which shalldirect or guide it easily in position and retain it in a manner toprevent its falling out of the hook. Toaccomplish this result I, providea depending or downwardly-directed conoidal projection, which iscentered substantially above the axis of an opening, recess, or cavityin the base portion of the hook. The space between the plane of the topof the cavity and the apex of the projection is less than the usualthickness which the cord or lacing presents, either on account of itsoriginal rounded form or the form a fiat lacing assumes when snuggedagainst the neck of the hook or speedily acquires through the kneadingand twisting incidental to use, thus effecting at this point acontracted throat in what may be termed the cord recess or channel.

The fastening device shown in the figures of the drawings and formingthe preferred embodiment of my invention consists of a single metallicpiece or strip bent into sub stantially the form of a loop, so that ithas a forwardly-extending base portion 1, an outwardly-curved uprightportion or standard 2, and a rearwardly-extending top portion or head 3.The base 1 is provided with means by which it can be secured to thearticle to be fastened, a simple way being to construct it with adownwardly-extending hollow or tubular shank 4, which can be forcedthrough 0 the article and then bent back or riveted over, as shown inFig. 3. The shank 4 can be easily and inexpensively made simply byproperly punching it out of the strip composing the device. Theconstruction of this shank, as 5 shown, forms an opening or cavity forthe cord to enter as it is drawn through the contracted throat.

The top or head 3 is provided near its rear end with a tapering orconoidal projection 5, which extends downwardly to an extent and in amanner to form an abutment across or a partial closure to the upperportion of the recess 6 embraced by the metallic loop composing thedevice. The lower end of this projection is situated slightly above thebase 1 and centrally over the opening therein to afford a contractedthroatway to the recess 6.

The projection 5 can be formed in any suitable or desired manner. Iprefer to form it by punching the metallic strip at the proper point, asshown in Fig. 3.

In using the device the cord is inserted in the hook at the mouth 7thereof and laterally drawn inward, so that it bears against theinclined and rounded side of the downwardlyextended projection. With avery slight lateral strain upon it the cord slides down along the sidesof the projection and is bent and deflected thereby into the opening orcavity below the apex thereof. The cord will now readily pass beyondsaid apex and slip into the cord-recess formed to the rear thereof.

I have shown an opening formed in the shank of the hook, but it isapparent that the result may be obtained by the use of a cavity, cut-outportion, or any sort of suitable depression.

It is evident from the foregoing that the salient feature of myinvention resides in the use of the tapering or conoidal projectionwhich is adjacent and opposite to the cavity below it and so closethereto as to deflect or bend the lacing thereinto as it is drawn past.

It will be understood that when the lacing is in rear of the projectionit is held there by said projection and prevented from falling out orescape until a lateral strain is applied equal in amount to thatnecessary to engage the lacing behind the projection, but opposed indirection. When the lacing or cord is so arranged within the recess, itcan slide or move longitudinally while in the act of lacing the articleof apparel or with the flexions thereof after being tied.

Since the tapering projection will hold the cord against lateral escapewhen the article is only partiallylaced and the cord is left unfastened,as shown in Fig. 1, the remaining portion of the lacing will not becomeundone. This is particularly advantageous in taking shoes off, for whenthe lacing is undone to the desired point and the shoe removed theremaining portion will remain laced. In View of this result my improvedhooks can be applied to the quarters of a shoe from instep to ankle, andthe eyelets commonly employed over the instep can be dispensed with,thereby much facilitating the operation of lacing.

The above is the use of the device when the office expected of it is nomore than that of a hook for engaging the cord and holding it againstlateral .movement, where, as in some cases, it is immaterial whether ithas longitudinal movement or not, or where it is specially desired thatit shall have longitudinal movement, but shall be held as far aspossible against slipping out of the device; but where it isdesired thatthe device shall act to hold the lacing or cord absolutely against allmovement the latter can be wound once or twice about the upright orstandard 2, as shown in Fig. 2. In such case the windings become sowedged in the recess 6 between the upright 2 and the projection 5 thatthey cannot be displaced by drawing 011 the end of the cord, and thelatter, as a result, is held fast. The two sections of the cord maytherefore be fastened at their upper ends in this way or they may beunited in a bow-knot, as is ordinarily done.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A lacing-hook consisting of a single metallic piece bent intosubstantially the form of a loop, with forwardlyextending base portion,outwardly-curved upright portion, and rearwardly-extending top portion,having a depending conoidal projection from said top portion extendinginto the cord-recess and past which the cord is drawn in lacing, and adepression or cavity in the base portion, beneath and centered oppositeto the apex of said projection, the space between said apex and theplane of the proximate mouth of the depression being less than thethickness of the cord ordinarily presented.

2. A lacing-hook comprising a tubular fastening-shank, a base, astandard, a top, and a depending conoidal projection centered above theopening to the tubular shank and nearer thereto than the thickness ofthe cord ordinarily presented.

Signed by me at Cleveland, Ouyahoga county, Ohio, this 25th day ofJanuary, 1899.

' PIIINEAS F. KING.

Witnesses:

L. Roon Looms, CHAS. C. BULKLEY.

ICO

